Yasmeen Altaji gives a round-up of today's trends
Trending Middle East
More Israeli strikes on Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia meets with Iran
This is Trending, your daily rundown of news from the Middle East and around the world brought to you by The National. From Abu Dhabi, I'm Yesmi Al-Taji, here on today's headlines. More Israeli strikes shook Lebanon last night. Intense explosions were felled from Beirut's southern suburbs near its airport around midnight. The target was unclear, but Dahyem, a Hezbollah stronghold, was in the vicinity. Iranian President Mashod Pazashkan met Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Fudhan in Doha on Thursday. The meeting came amid mounting fears of regional escalation following Iran's missile attack on Israel. The Saudi press agency said the two leaders discussed regional and international developments without giving details. The Reuters news agency cited sources saying Gulf states sought to reassure Iran of their neutrality during several meetings in Doha. In 99 American doctors who volunteered in Gaza issued a letter calling for an international arms embargo on Israel and Palestinian armed groups. "During my time in Gaza, I have witnessed war crimes. I have witnessed and treated children who have come into the emergency department after being shot by Israeli forces." The letter addresses U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris and urges them to "immediately withhold military, economic and diplomatic support from the state of Israel." International organizations have identified a public health crisis in Gaza since the start of the war with reports of starvation, malnutrition, and impossible medical treatment conditions. That's all for this morning's headlines. You can get these stories at our site and visit the nationalnews.com/podcasts for more like this. It's me, L'Altaajee, the National. (upbeat music)